Cusco Trip POST #3

(once again, please check out the previous cusco posts for the beginning of the trip!)

So now, to continue on with our trek towards Machu Picchu!

Day 2: Hike it out.

After an early breakfast, the group followed our new guide Antonio to the edge of the mountain we were about to climb down. He gave us a brief explanation about the history of the town that used to rest in the valley below before a landslide completely wiped it out. Throughout our hike he told us numerous stories about Quechua beliefs of respecting Pachamama (mother earth) and all that she has given to the people of the earth. Once again, I'll save you the history lessons, but if you want to hear about it later, let me know.

This hike was pretty easy, only about 18 kilometers over a 7-8 hour span. We ate lunch in the middle of nowhere at a tiny restaurant with people who were baffled why Esya, Sophia and I were vegetarians. (What else is new??). We walked through parts of jungle, where we saw incredible amounts of orchids, banana trees, waterfalls, coffee trees, huge flowers, and of course, bugs. I have quite a nice collection of bug bites. I'm planning on bringing them back to the States, along with my new sexy socks-tucked-in-pants bike style...I figure I'll get lots of phone numbers that way.

We arrived in Aguas Calientes, all beyond ready for a shower or three, only to find out that we got there during a time of "mantenimiento" meaning the water in the whole city was shut off to preserve it. Coooool. When it did come on a few hours later, we all got to take nice ice cold showers before a huge, unreal dinner. Nothing like shower of icicles, I tell ya.

Half the group joined the German guy Andre in his room for some amazing Chilean wine to toast to good luck before Machu Picchu the next morning.

Here are some photos from the day, MP post soon to come!!:

COFFEE!! All those years at Caribou got me excited to see these berries/beans
Our guide for the day, Antonio

Cusco Trip POST #1

I have so much to say about this amazing trip, I am sure I will need more than one post..

Day 1: CUSCO

I arrived in Cusco early the 9th and right away found a few unsure-looking gringas who didn't speak any Spanish outside the airport. These new friends (Sophia and Esya) and I left to find a hostal and some coca tea.

Day 2: SACRED VALLEY
The next day we got up early to do a tour of the Sacred Valley, alternating between hour long hikes to ruins and seeing local goods. We visited Pisaq, Urumbamba, Ollantaytambo, and Chinchero. In Chinchero we got to watch a demonstration of the ancient process still used in this town to dye and weave textiles, which brought me back to the old Science Museum of Minnesota days (Lou, you remember that, right??)

A few shots from the day:

Colorful growths on ancient Inca walls in Pisaq
Inca ruins, the constant theme running through this trip...
On top of mountain ruins looking down at Ollantaytambo
Can you see the profile of a man with a beard and a crown of towers in the mountain?

Our guide this day showed us a drawing the Incas had of their sun god, which looks exactly like the face in the mountain (the towers were built atop to be his crown by the Incas). Historians believe that one of the reasons the Inca people let in the first Spaniards was because when they came with faces with large beards like this sun god, the Inca people believe them to be messangers from their god.

We learned ridiculous amounts of history, but I will spare you all the lesson for the day!

The next day we spent purchasing local goods to bring back, and explored Cusco and its Plaza de Armas before going to bed early, ready to start our trek towards Machu Picchu the next day!

The next post(s) will have more pictures from that hike!